There has been nearly universal applause for one provision of the national health care reform that allows children without access to employer-provided health care insurance to stay on a parent's policy until age 26. Many insurance companies have already implemented this provision.

Millions of civilian families already have taken advantage of the new health care reform law allowing children without access to employer health coverage to stay on the parent's family policy until age 26, without any extra premium.

Because TRICARE is governed by separate law, Congress must pass additional legislation to cover military children until age 26. The still to be enacted 2011 National Defense Authorization Act contains language to include extend coverage to military children to age 26, but this pending legislation would allow the Pentagon to charge military families $2400 per child per year for the extended coverage.

I think you agree that it is wrong for civilians to receive this additional coverage without charge yet military families would be charged $2400 per child per year for the same benefit.

On that basis, as your voting constituent, I strongly urge you to support Senator Susan Collins' effort to stop this discriminatory "Catch-26" premium penalty on military families.

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